Cambodia morning news for December 4

Cambodia reviews ban on opposition after EU sanctions threat
Cambodia’s parliament is reviewing a five-year ban on more than 100 members of the main opposition party, which could allow them to return to politics, following threats by the European Union to deny duty-free trading access to the Southeast Asian nation.— Reuters

Cambodia, ADB discuss $30m loan
The Ministry of Tourism has begun discussions with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) over a $30-million loan to fund infrastructure in coastal provinces that would support tourism development.— Khmer Times

Lethal protest union leaders’ trial date set
Phnom Penh Municipal Court has set this Friday as the start of the trial of six union leaders who were charged following protests after the 2013 national elections where demands to raise the minimum wage for garment factory workers turned violent.— The Phnom Penh Post

Government outlines efforts to strengthen democracy
The National Assembly is reviewing a five-year ban on more than 100 members of the former opposition party, which could allow them to return to politics, following threats by the European Union to revoke the Everything-but-arms treaty.— The Khmer Times

GMAC says EBA removal worries are premature
In the wake of the European Union’s decision to put the Everything-but-arms (EBA) agreement with Cambodia under review, prior to its possible cancellation, the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) said people should not be too worried.— Khmer Times

Khmer Rise Party: Preah Sihanouk governor grabbing land
The leader of the Khmer Rise Party (KRP) on Friday submitted a report to Prime Minister Hun Sen accusing the Preah Sihanouk provincial governor of colluding with two prominent tycoons to grab land for personal gain in the province.— The Phnom Penh Post

CMAC outlines demining work during meeting in Switzerland
A Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority delegation last week briefed representatives from more than 100 countries on efforts to make Cambodia mine-free by 2025 at the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines during its official visit to Switzerland.— The Khmer Times

The Post ink MoU with Incheon IlboThe Phnom Penh Post has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Korean news website Incheon Ilbo (Daily), in a landmark agreement aimed at improving information and cultural exchanges between the two nations.— The Phnom Penh Post

Lao Airlines opens Vientiane-Luang Prabang-Changsha route
Lao Airlines, the national flag carrier, has opened a new sector from Vientiane-Luang Prabang-Changsha city in China’s Hunan province, aiming to attract more Chinese travellers, especially during Visit Laos Year.— The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia and Nepal sign agreements
Cambodia and Nepal signed four agreements over the weekend to expand economic, diplomatic and political relations between the two nations, according to Prime Minister Hun Sen.— Khmer Times

Kem Sokha distances himself from ‘Rainsy’s’ US event
Former Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) president Kem Sokha on Sunday further distanced himself from an international conference held in the US by members of the court-dissolved opposition.— The Phnom Penh Post

Ministry starts reforming higher education sector
The Education Ministry has started to improve the quality of education in Cambodia’s top five universities after the World Bank agreed to provide $90 million to fund higher education reforms.— The Khmer Times

United Front anniversary marked
National Assembly president Heng Samrin yesterday called on youth to maintain hard-earned peace in the Kingdom following decades of war as he commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Solidarity Front for the Development of the Cambodian Motherland.— Khmer Times

Government extends disabled people’s strategy
The government will extend the National Strategy on Disability for another four years to eliminate all forms of exploitation and discrimination against persons with disabilities.— The Khmer Times

VoIP scammers to be deported next week
More than 230 Chinese nationals caught operating Voice over Internet Protocol scams in Takeo province last week will be deported on December 10, a senior police officer said.— Khmer Times

Kampong Speu Military Police confiscate wild meat
Military Police in Kampong Speu province’s Phnom Sruoch district on Saturday seized nearly 90kg of wild meat during a raid led by a provincial court prosecutor and Forestry Administration officials in Ou commune’s Cheak village.— The Phnom Penh Post

Airport train crash injures two
Two people were injured after an airport train crashed into vehicles in Por Senchey district’s Kabab II commune yesterday.— The Khmer Times

AIDS fight successes praised
The chairman of the National AIDS Authority (NAA) said on Saturday that Cambodia is successfully combating AIDS, having reached 90 per cent of its 2025 target. However, there are concerns about the number of AIDS patients who do not seek treatment.— The Phnom Penh Post

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Cambodia morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Cambodia news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

With a decade of experience as an editor and journalist, Roy has edited mastheads across Australia and Southeast Asia, from the remote island communities of the Torres Strait to Cambodia’s only award-winning newspaper, The Phnom Penh Post.

A a professional photographer since the days of film, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Photomedia and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism.